In line with our Strategic Priority for Social Impact, UNSW embedded the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by all United Nations States in 2015, in its Strategy 2025 - under Theme 3, Sustainable Development:
“Our 2025 Vision is to tackle real-world problems through partnerships that bring together our students, staff, alumni and the community, aligning our efforts with UNSW’s expertise and research strengths, Australia’s aspirations and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.”
The Division of EDI established the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Steering Committee in 2020 to provide explicit accountability for developing, coordinating, monitoring, evaluating, and communicating the University’s engagement with the SDGs, as well as an annual working group to organise UNSW’s submission to the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings. The THE Impact Rankings are the first global attempt to measure university progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Steering Committee serves as a forum to facilitate information sharing about SDG related activities across the UNSW community. Through information sharing, combined efforts and problem solving the group can support UNSW’s progress to achieving the goals by creating an SDG engaged university.
The SDG Steering Committee is a subcommittee of the UNSW Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Sustainability and Governance (EDISG) Board, established to provide strategic oversight and coordination of the University’s engagement with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Its work is grounded in UNSW’s Progress for All strategy, which commits the University to advancing global progress through transformative education, innovative research, and meaningful engagement with communities and partners.
This commitment is operationalised through the Societal Impact Framework, which connects UNSW’s expertise to the most pressing social, environmental, and economic challenges of our time, and acts as a guide for decision-making, expanding networks, developing partnerships and funding opportunities. The SDGs are embedded within UNSW’s nine Strategic Pillars and four Impact Focus Areas.
Membership
Associate Professor Andrew Dansie, Academic Lead, Humanitarian Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, chairs the SDGs Steering Committee. The Deputy Chair is Hannah Bolitho, Manager of Strategy and Business, UNSW Cities Institute.
The Steering Committee has undergraduate, postgraduate and higher degree student representatives, recruited annually.
Staff membership includes representatives from all faculties and divisions at UNSW, including UNSW Environmental Sustainability, colleagues from Centres and Institutes and subject matter experts.
Additional attendees are invited to participate in specific meetings in line with the agenda focus.
The Office of the Pro-Vice Chancellor Societal Transformation & Equity provides secretariat support and coordinates membership (contact: Rebecca Martin, Manager, Societal Transformation).
